Crutch



0. H. ARNDT Aug. 19, I924.

CRUTCH Fild Jan. 16. 1923 D'ttm H A:rn

Patented Aug. 19, 1924.

UNITED Miss OTTO H ARNDT, 0F CLINTON VIIJLE, WISCONSIN.

Clintonville, inlthe county ofWVaupac-a: and

State oflVisconsimlmve invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grutches; and-I do hereby "declare that the following ,is a full, clear, and enact,desoriptionthereof.

This invention, relates to crutches In crutches as'heretofore made it is extremely difficult to secure a crutchjthat'ea length, must be accurately selected; but ,also the vdistancelfrom thetop ofthe crutch to the grip fonthe hand must. be accurately chosen in order to secure thalgreatest comfort, for the user. Obviously, it is extremely difficult to find a crutch iii-which both, of

these dimensions accurately conform to the 1 I ,Flgures 1 and 2. It Wlll be seen upon referrequii'ements.

This invention is designed to overcome the above noted defects, and objects .of this inventionare, therefore, to provide a, crutch in which the'hand grip and length may be independently adjusted, to accurately con form to the needs of the user.

Further objects are to provide a crutch in which the adjustments of the parts may be efiected in a simple and expeditious manner, in which the parts may be locked in adjusted position, and in which a pleasing and attractive appearance is maintained.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is aside elevation of a crutch with parts broken away to more clearly illustrate the invention.

Figure 2 is a View on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the lower portion of the frame of the crutch, such elevation being shown partly in section,

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line ll- 1 of Figure 1, v

Figure 5 is a sectional View on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, it will be seen that the crutch comprises an upper frame member adapted to fit beneath the arm of the user and comprising parallel members 1, a transverse member 2, which is the portion immediately in contact with the users body, a transverse bracing member 3, and converging lower portions 4 of the uprights 1 which terminate in parallel extensions 5. The leg portion 6 of the CRUTCH.

Application filed January 16, 1923., Sei ia1 N0.612,973.

crutchjcomprises alsquare member adapted tobe slidably received. between the parallel portions 5 v and r to be guided adjacent the lower end of said parallel portions by means of a tapered metallic reinforce"? which comprises slanting, side walls? \and rectangular inner walls 7,"such walls receivingcbetween them, the correspondingly shaped lower portion 8, of the extensions 5, and formin'ggby its rectangular walls 7. and 7t, aguide for the l eg"6 of the crutch.

actly fits theprospective user. .Not only. the

In crutches it is extremely desirable that both the totallengthof the crutch and ,theidistancejbetween the upper transverse member 2 and the handgrip be accurately adjusted ence to these figures, that the hand grip comprises a transverse member 9, \vliiclrisprovifded with a frame 10 which slidably receives a pair of plungers 11, .suchplungers being tprovided with manipulating pins 12 and'with a spring 13, the spring 13 tending to force them apart, such spring beingcoi1- venient'ly centered by means of reduced portions 14 formed upon the pins 11. members 1 preferably have outwardly rounded faces and opposed fiat faces. These fiat faces are reinforced by means of bearing strips 15 secured thereto, and preferably inset. with a plurality of spaced apertures 16 aligned with the corresponding apertures in the members 1 and are adapted to receive the pins 11.

It is preferable to provide strap-like arms 17 integral with the frame 10 of the hand grip and extending around the uprights l to aid in guiding and retaining the hand grip in position.

It will be seen that any desired adjustment of hand grip relative to the transverse bar 2 may be secured by withdrawing the plungers 11 by means of the manipulating pins 12 and allowing them to seat in the ap propriate apertures 16 to thereby lock the hand grip in the desired adjusted position.

The leg portion 6 is provided adjacent its upper end with a guiding frame, or slide, provided with downwardly projecting extensions 18 secured to such leg portion and with a transverse upper portion 19 abutting the upper end of the leg portion (see Fig- The These bearing strips are provided I ures 3 and 4). This slide is provided with looped arms 20, which surround the parallel portions or extensions 5 of the main frame of the crutch and serve to guidethe upper portion of the leg correctly with reference to such parallel portions.

The downward extension 18 may have side walls 21, see Figure 3,- which enclose the upper portion 6 of the leg 6, and may be secured thereto bymeans of suitable screws or otherfastenin'g means, as shown in Figures 1 and 3. The transverse portion 19 of the slide is hollow and provided with outer walls 22 and an inner web 23. Plungers 24: are guided by the outer walls and the inner web, and are provided with laterally projecting manipulating pins 25. These pins project thru the side wall of the slide and are guided by bayonet slots 26, such slots being provided with a horizontal portion and with a vertical portion in which latter portion the pins are adapted to seat to lock the plungers 24 in position. These plungers cooperate with apertures 27 formed in the reinforcing wear plates 28 secured to opposing faces of the parallel extenslons 5, as

may be seen from Figure 3. If desired the extensions 5 may be provided with aligning aperture-s corresponding to the apertures 27, as shown in such figures. 7

It will be seen therefore, that when it is desired to adjust the leg portion of the crutch, the pins 25 may be moved upwardly from the vertical portions of the bayonet slots 26 and moved laterally to withdraw the plungers 24 from the cooperatin apertures. Thereafter the leg portion may e adjusted and the plungers again locked in position thereby locking the leg portion rigidly in its desired adjusted position.

It will be seen that an adjustable crutch has been provided in which both the hand grip and the leg portion may be adjusted independently and to the exact needs of the user. It is, of course, to be understood that if desired, the hand grip may be provided with a suitable casing (not shown) closing and housing the operative locked mechanism.

It will further be seen that the crutch, although adjustable, is extremely rigid in its construction, and when its parts are locked in adjusted positions is substantially a unitary, solid, firm structure.

claim;

An adjustable crutch comprising a frame adapted to fit beneath the users arm and having a pair of spaced parallel members provided with a plurality of notches upon their opposed faces, a leg adjustably guided between said members, a pair of plungers carried by said leg and adapted to enter any of said notches, and means for 0 rating said plungers and for locking them 111 their notch engaging positions.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing 1 have hereunto set my hand at Clintonville,

111 the county of Waupaca and State of Wisconsin.

OTTO H. ARNDT. 

